Disturbing the Sleeping Wolf
It was early evening when Leith was asked to gather everyone for dinner. She accepted the request without hesitation as she wasn't much handy in the kitchen. "At least this way I can help everyone get some food." She thought to herself. She walked down one of the wings of the guild hall, knocking and telling those who answered it was time for dinner. Close to the end of the walkway, she noticed Steppenwolf's door was slightly ajar. Curiosity got the better of her and Leith looked into the room to see if he was there. Inside she found a small burbling fountain, a bonsai tree up on a shelf, and set of drawers on one side with a fairly large bed on the other. In the center of the room on a mat sat Steppenwolf facing away from the door. Leith stood still, hoping not to disturb him. Steppenwolf made no reaction to her peeking into the room. "Step!" Leith called out quietly. He gave no response, so Leith quickly entered the room to get closer. As she approached she noticed that Steppenwolf was meditating. "Step, its dinnertime!" Leith said a little bit louder than before. The only response she got was a wag of his tail that startled her for a moment. "Oh!" she said as a thought popped into her head. "I've never been able to touch his fur before... I doubt he would notice now. I'll have to be quick though..." She thought as she knelt down next to Steppenwolf. She slowly lowered a hand to his tail, lightly stroking the fur a couple times. "Ah... wow that is soft!" She said happily. His eyes fluttered open as soon as she made contact. His animalistic instincts kicked in immediately. He whirled around, biting down on the hand of the person who had the audacity to touch his tail. Not only that, his teeth were imbued with Heat Magic, and one would soon notice the burning sensation his iron jaws would have on an individual. It all happened so fast, he didn't even process who the intruder was. Leith cried out in pain as Steppenwolf's jaws sank into her hand. With her free hand, Leith created an Andromeda seal on the floor next to them. Suddenly a large chain flies out and wraps around Steppenwolf, pulling him off and away from Leith. "Why did you bite me??" Leith said, tears of pain brimming along her eyelids. She held her injured hand to herself, rubbing it to try and ease the pain. She got up and left the room quickly, saying as she left. "Dinner is ready!" she grabbed the handle of the door and slammed it as she left the room. Steppenwolf's body immediately heated up, melting the chains after Leith had left. She had left before he had the chance to apologize, but it was her own fault. After all, she should know what they say about disturbing a sleeping wolf. He quickly cleaned her blood from his mouth before heading to dinner to eat with the rest of the guild. Today was his favorite, cooked lamb, which he ate next to the master like a loyal dog. Leith showed up to dinner late as she had to clean and wrap her hand. She sat in her usual place in the dining hall and ate her dinner quietly. She didn't look around or engage in conversation with the others, which was out of the norm for her. As the meal came to a close, Leith got up and cleaned her dishes before heading off to the training area. The wolf's ears drooped, correctly guessing that her demeanor was because of the nasty bite he gave her earlier. After dinner, he followed Leith to the training area. "Leith, may I speak with you?" Leith had changed into her training clothes right before Steppenwolf had entered the room and was now stretching. "What do you want Step?" she asked coldly. She made a conscious effort to not look at him while she was stretching. "You should know better than to touch me while I'm meditating," he said bluntly. "My tail is especially sensitive. But, despite your mistake, I do apologize for the bite." Leith kept calm as she continued her stretches. "I will forgive, only if you agree to spar for a little while. I haven't had a good fight in a while," She said, finally looked to Steppenwolf for his answer. "Ordinarily I'd say no. Wolves don't normally attack those in their packs. But I've hit a wall in the strength I can get through meditation. Perhaps seeing how strong I can get through physical exertion is also a good idea." "We will see," Leith said as she finished stretching. She went over to the main sparring ring and got into position. "Well don't just stand there. Let's get this done." Leith said. She was needing to blow off some steam from the bite in her hand, and she could think of no better way than to have a spar with someone. She cracked her knuckles as she wrapped her second hand in a bandage, not for an injury but as added support during the spar. He dropped to his all fours, a low growling in his throat. "I never like to make the first move." His whole body became surrounded in a thin layer of Heat Magic as he himself prepared for battle. Leith grinned with anticipation as she got into her stance. She raised a hand towards Steppenwolf's position, sending an Aquarius seal underneath him. The spell activated quickly, sending water rushing upward towards Steppenwolf. The water hit the roof of the training room, filling it with water as it fell to the ground. After a moment the seal disappeared, ceasing the spell. Afterwards, the only thing seen was a whole lot of steam. He didn't even look wet. "My turn." Steppenwolf began a wild charge, but as he ran, copies of himself began appearing. It was his Vulf Pack. They began jumping, biting, and clawing at Leith, jumping by her or retreating after every attack, until eventually they surrounded her. Like a true wolf pack they had cut off her path of escape. "Hunt Breath!" From their mouths, a blast of pure heat was fired, which would waft over her like a semi-solid cloud. The humidity would make her feel hotter and heavier, greatly debilitating her ability to fight. The entire time, the real Steppenwolf stood off to the side, invisible due to his mirages, and his magical creations throwing off opposition from his true location. As Leith saw Steppenwolf begin to charge, she used Requip to change her outfit to her stronger and more defensive Knight armor. Her body became semi covered with metal armor visible save from just below her ribs to her knees. The rest of her was covered in a mix of black tights and a blue cape that extended from her waist. She gained access to a longsword with her Requip, which she pulled for protection from Any possible bites from Steppenwolf. She quickly jumped back and away from his attacks. As Step blasted Leith with his Hunt Breath, she covered her face with one arm and pressed her second palm to her chest casting the Chameleon 'seal on herself, making herself blend in with the background as she ducked around and behind the mirages. She sprinted quietly behind the mirages, slicing with her sword across their calves in order to limit their movements. Steppenwolf briefly sniffed the air. Before Leith could attack his mirages, they all dispersed, disappearing into the nothingness they truly were. While she would be distracted by the sudden development, Steppenwolf pounced. Despite her invisibility, Steppenwolf charged directly towards her at lightning speeds, using his sense of smell to guide him. His fist glowed red as he prepared a powerful punch to her gut, enhanced by Hardening Magic. "'Lupus Blow!" He called, as he executed his attack.